[gordonsetter]

Today I was told that I am experiencing a mixed episode by the pdoc. While I know that means I have some symptoms of both mania and depression, I'm wondering how severe and for how long these episodes can last? I'm experiencing no joy in things I used to enjoy, tiredness, sadness, and crying spells along with racing thoughts, insomnia, and hallucinations. Any help would be appreciated!

[mschu528]

I've had two "official" mixed episodes. 3-4 total that I can remember. They usually last about three months for me. A normal manic or depressive episode for me though usually only lasts about 3-4 months. I would highly recommend trying to stay away from alcohol, as my last mixed episode was significantly longer and/or more severe because I started drinking for the "quick fix" (which worked great in the short term, but did NOT work AT ALL in the end). I've never experienced tiredness with mixed, but the rest of your symptoms seem to fit the bill.

I'm assuming you're on meds? For some reason the atypical antipsychs (e.g. Quetiapine, Olanzapine, Aripriprazole, Ziprasidone) seem to work better for mixed than the traditional bipolar meds (but it's usually not worth changing just for a couple months - still not a bad idea to ask the psychiatrist...)

Good luck! I hope you get through it well.

[phoenix47baby]

My mixed episodes last 3 or 4 days tops. It is typically a mix of sadness/giving up feeling/dropping out with an energetic, frenzied nature of sorts. Sorry I can't be of much help. phoenix47baby

[Berries]

My last mixed episode lasted about 3 months. It was replaced with a depressive episode, that has lasted 3 months so far.

It is a terrible state to be in. I am sorry you are going through it.

Best Wishes for some peace.

[gordonsetter]

Thanks to all who replied to my questions! So far this mixed episode has lasted about a month and I'm ready for a change. This being half and half is exhausting both physically and mentally for me; if I could just settle for one or the other. Again thanks you've all been of help!

[BNLsMOM]

As far as I can tell I had a mixed episode over the summer. I was depressed, but really frantic and couldn't sleep. It took a med change to get me out of it.

[lonegael]

(((gordonsetter))))My experience tends to be much like BNLsMOM's. I tend to have more of these then pure mania. That's how I went for so long without being diagnosed. When I was a teenager I would run up and down the block at night crying and ripping at my hair (It was always a lot worse at night.) exhausting! Goodluck getting a handle on it. Do you have somethin for anxiety? That was a key trigger for me.

[gordonsetter]

Lonegael- Thanks for your response! The dr put me on Xanax 3 times a day for all of the anxiety I'm having. It's only been a week and I haven't seen much of a change yet. I'm diagnosed with panic disorder so maybe this is just an extention of that. Thanks for caring enought to respond!

[perpetuallysad]

I experience mixed episodes now more than just plain out mania. Since I've had my son (he's almost 9), I have not felt more than a second or two relief from the depression and only a few months at a time away from the mania. Its taken my doc and me 4 years to figure out that I'm bipolar with mixed episodes. They are a horrible thing, I'm sorry you are going through this. I seem to have episodes that last for months at a time, with my feelings going from spasmodically energetic to morbidly depressed with racing thoughts and the desire to DO something but I am unable to complete any task during these times.

I wouldn't give up hope for the xanax to work, though I'm surprised it doesn't give you some relief from your anxiety already. What's the dosage? Maybe it needs to be bumped up a little bit? What are the other meds you take for the bp? I started Invega about 2 weeks ago and its helping lift the depression from my mania.

Blah, sorry, I seem to just talk about myself when I respond. I promise I'm trying to think of things to help...

[gordonsetter]

perpetuallysad- Thanks for your response! My xanax dose is .5 mg 3 times a day; maybe it does need to be increased some. I get so anxious sometimes that I cannot stop trembling which really misses up my handwriting. I currently take depokote, lithium, zoloft, xanax, geodon and ambien for my bipolar, anxiety, hallucinations, and insomnia. The dr says I have a complex form of bp and it takes several meds to try to control it.

[perpetuallysad]

I wish that those meds were working better for you. I take xanax 3x a day at .5mg too. I have started to only take it twice a day and "save" the extra dosage for when I am really stressing out. My doc tries to put me on lots of meds too, as I seem to have medicine resistant depression, but I do not like to be on huge combos of stuff. I have done that a few times, but I always end up taking myself off everything and we have to start over. Right now I am just on 200 mg of Wellbutrin sr 2x a day, 3mg of Invega once a day and the xanax. I've tried abilify, geodon, topomax, geeze, I cannot remember all of the anti-psychotics, as well as pretty much all of the anti-depressants. I am too chicken to try lithium as I have gained a ton of weight already on all these other meds, I don't know if I could handle the extra weight that seems to be inherent with lithium.

How are you feeling today? How much sleep are you getting?

(I love dogs too!)

[gordonsetter]

perpetuallysad: Today has been one of those bad days. I haven't wanted to leave my apt., I'm really jittery, my mind is racing a mile a minute, and I cry at the least little thing. I've been on lithium for almost 30 years and on depokote for about 15 years; if I try to go without either med. I soar into a major mania episode. I didn't sleep well at all last night from 1:00am until 6:00 am with several wakening up times. My dog is my therapy dog and I don't know what I'd do without her.

[perpetuallysad]

I'm glad the lithium helps you. I am eagerly looking forward to eventually having a combo of meds that makes me semi-regular. (No one is NORMAL!) I cannot sleep lately at all. Last night I got about the same as you, 1 to 6 with a few wake up times. I sing in my head. Last night I did the entire wizard of oz movie. Sometimes I do math or something to try to bore myself to sleep. My dog, whom I loved like a child, died this past Feb. 22nd, we had been together for 14 years. It was, and still is, devastating. We have a new family dog, and I love her, but my Ladybug had been with me through so much...

I wish I could help you have a better time.

Keep talking to me, I am really enjoying connecting to a person who I can relate to.